Golf club head having face stress-reduction features

Abstract

A golf club head comprising a body, at least one weight cartridge, and a plurality of hollow tubes is disclosed herein. The body comprises a face section, a sole section, and a return section, and also defines a hollow interior. Each of the plurality of hollow tubes extends from the return section to the sole section to reduce stresses placed on the face during impact with a golf ball, and the at least one weight cartridge is sized to fit within at least one of the plurality of hollow tubes. The sole section and return section each comprise keyed apertures providing access to the hollow tubes with which they communicate, and the at least one weight cartridge comprises a keyed structure sized to fit through the keyed apertures.

We claim: 
     
       1. A golf club head comprising:
 a body comprising a striking face, a sole, and a return section, the body defining a hollow interior, and the sole and return section defining an upper opening; 
 a plurality of titanium tubes, each of the plurality of titanium tubes extending within the hollow interior from the return section to the sole; 
 a crown section sized to cover the upper opening; and 
 at least one weight cartridge sized to fit within at least one of the plurality of titanium tubes, 
 wherein the plurality of titanium tubes ranges from two to eight titanium tubes, 
 wherein the sole comprises a plurality of bosses, 
 wherein each of the plurality of bosses corresponds to a titanium tube of the plurality of titanium tubes, 
 wherein each of the plurality of titanium tubes has a length ranging from 30 millimeters to 60 millimeters, 
 wherein each of the plurality of titanium tubes is disposed within 11 millimeters of an interior surface of the striking face, 
 wherein the plurality of titanium tubes increases ball speed by reducing stress placed on the striking face during impact with a golf ball, and 
 wherein the striking face has a characteristic time that is close to, but does not exceed, 257 microseconds. 
 
     
     
       2. The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the return section comprises a first plurality of apertures, wherein the sole comprises a second plurality of apertures, wherein each of the first plurality of apertures corresponds to a titanium tube of the plurality of titanium tubes, and wherein each of the second plurality of apertures corresponds to a titanium tube of the plurality of hollow tubes. 
     
     
       3. The golf club head according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures comprises a keyed structure, wherein the at least one weight cartridge comprises at least one keyed cover sized to fit within the keyed structure, and wherein rotating the at least one weight cartridge within a titanium tube of the plurality of titanium tubes reversibly locks the at least one weight cartridge within the titanium tube. 
     
     
       4. The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one weight cartridge comprises a heavy end and a lightweight end. 
     
     
       5. The golf club head according to  claim 4 , wherein the heavy end comprises a high-density weight. 
     
     
       6. The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is composed of material selected from the group consisting of titanium alloy and steel. 
     
     
       7. The golf club head according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of titanium tubes is welded to the body. 
     
     
       8. The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the crown section is composed of a composite material. 
     
     
       9. The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the golf club head has a volume ranging from 200 cubic centimeters to 475 cubic centimeters. 
     
     
       10. The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is composed of carbon composite material. 
     
     
       11. The golf club head according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one weight cartridge comprises three weight cartridges, wherein the plurality of titanium tubes comprises three titanium tubes, and wherein each of the three weight cartridges is disposed, respectively, in one of the three titanium tubes. 
     
     
       12. The golf club head according to  claim 1 , further comprising a slidable weight, wherein the sole comprises a channel, and wherein the slidable weight is disposed within the channel. 
     
     
       13. The golf club head according to  claim 12 , wherein the channel comprises at least one rail, and wherein the slidable weight is reversibly affixed to the at least one rail with a mechanical fastener. 
     
     
       14. A driver-type golf club head comprising:
 a metal body comprising a striking face, a sole, and a return section, the body defining a hollow interior, the return section and sole defining an upper opening; 
 a composite crown section sized to close the upper opening; 
 a plurality of titanium tubes, each of the plurality of titanium tubes extending from the return section to the sole proximate an interior surface of the striking face; and 
 a weight cartridge sized to fit within at least one of the plurality of titanium tubes, 
 wherein the striking face comprises a variable thickness pattern, 
 wherein each titanium tube of the plurality of titanium tubes is welded to the body, 
 wherein the weight cartridge comprises a heavy end and a lightweight end, 
 wherein the plurality of titanium tubes ranges from two to eight titanium tubes, 
 wherein the sole comprises a plurality of bosses, 
 wherein each of the plurality of bosses corresponds to a titanium tube of the plurality of titanium tubes, 
 wherein each of the plurality of hollow titanium tubes has a length ranging from 30 millimeters to 60 millimeters and a diameter ranging from 2 millimeters to 5 millimeters, 
 wherein the plurality of titanium tubes increases ball speed by reducing stress placed on the striking face during impact with a golf ball, and 
 wherein the striking face has a characteristic time that is close to, but does not exceed, 257 microseconds. 
 
     
     
       15. The golf club head according to  claim 14 , wherein the return section comprises a first plurality of apertures, wherein the sole comprises a second plurality of apertures, wherein each of the first plurality of apertures corresponds to a titanium tube of the plurality of titanium tubes, and wherein each of the second plurality of apertures corresponds to a titanium tube of the plurality of titanium tubes. 
     
     
       16. The golf club head according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures comprises a keyed structure, wherein the weight cartridge comprises at least one keyed cover sized to fit within the keyed structure, and wherein rotating the weight cartridge within a titanium tube reversibly locks the weight cartridge within that titanium tube.